asked the Minister for Finance whether he can state the total assessments for income tax as certified by the Revenue Commissioners for each of the financial years 1922-3; 1923-4; 1924-5; 1925-6; 1926-7, and 1927-8.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - INCOME TAX ASSESSMENTS.
Since the Revenue Commissioners of Saorstát Eireann began to function on 1st April, 1923, the following assessments to income tax have been made:—
Year 1923-24, £7,810,625 (standard rate of 5s.); year 1924-25, £7,971,020 (standard rate of 5s.); year 1925-26, £6,300,036 (standard rate of 4s.); year 1926-27, £6,427,000 (approximate) (standard rate of 4s.). Figures for 1927-28, when the standard rate was 3s. in the £, have not yet been completed, and particulars of assessments for 1922-23, which were made by the British Board of Inland Revenue under the agency agreement, are not readily available.
It will be understood that amounts assessed are subject to reduction by discharge and repayment in order to arrive at the net produce of the assessments actually made.
If there is such a huge difference between the actual amount of assessment and the actual amount collected, can the Minister state what has become of the difference of the amounts for any particular year as between what is assessed and what is collected, particularly as the amount of arrears outstanding is only £500,000?
The Deputy will have to study the matter further. I did not say the arrears outstanding were £500,000. I said the amount of the abnormal arrears. The Deputy cannot really question me on this until he has the figures before him.